A Short Break

The ducks, tucked up for winter

Many thanks for all of your comments on the previous post, it’s great to know that the subscriber emails made it through. Fingers crossed that whatever problem existed has now been resolved. It was wonderful to hear from so many readers for the first time, lovely to meet you all and a warm welcome on board!

Things are getting a tad hectic chez rusty duck. I’ve a deadline to get the bedroom (plus collateral damage) into some sort of order in time to draw breath before You Know What at the end of the year. Festive displays everywhere I go and the sudden deluge of ‘Get Your Gifts Here’ emails serve to remind that I’m rapidly running out of time. A pleasant day outside in the garden photographing for Bloom Day? Nope. On my hands and knees scrubbing the floorboards in preparation for liming. I’ve started using the liming wax now. And Mike has been retouching the emulsion paint on the kitchen walls. Between us the place smells like a chemical factory. Hey Ho.

There’ll be a short blogging intermission while we set to and get everything done. Back soon, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Damn it, those squirrels get everywhere.

78 Comments

As it happens, such a thing is not so far fetched. All summer we’ve had a robin which followed us everywhere, including into outhouses. It became quite a problem, having to make sure that he wasn’t inside before closing and locking doors.

Every year I think to myself “I will be super organised this year and I won’t leave anything until the last minute” and then it just sort of creeps up on me, as if I didn’t know it was coming, which is ridiculous because I did, even in France, the shops have gone Christmas crazy. So thank you for the little reminder, maybe I should get my act in gear now!!!

Even I have had to admit that it nearly Christmas, and plan to blitz the shopping tomorrow (small family, very small list!!). Don’t forget to take progress photos of all your hard work, to share when you come back after your break!

It’s coming on well but hard going, not least the fumes from the polish that goes over the lime wax. Difficult to have the windows open too when the rain (sleet?) is blowing in horizontally! Thanks CJ.

I admire your determination, Jessica – no distractions! Some local shops here already have christmas trees in the windows, ugh, waaaay too early! Good luck with the final stages of the bedroom renovation, here’s hoping all goes well, although it will undoubtedly make a good story if there are hiccups along the way. See you on the other side!

Primrose, Camilla and the ‘ens have offered to pop down and be your personal shoppers, to help lighten the load. Or they say they could do some gardening if you prefer. Personally, I wouldn’t take them up on either offer. Xx

Looking forward to seeing the next phase of your bedroom, hope it all goes well. I’m in Australia visiting my daughter at the moment, and although the shops have Christmas goodies in I’m just not in the Christmas mood yet!

So looking forward to some finished photos, enjoy the decorating time (as much as possible) and the little (please don’t make it too long) break. I feel super organised this year as I have started shopping and squirreling (SORRY) away gifts and new décor ready for December.

Wood burner flue has started to leak, garden is submerged, Somerset is doing a good impersonation of Atlantis. I imagine Devon must be worse. I am feeling smug as I put new tyres on the car last week, but perhaps they should have been water wings instead.

Enough of the holiday and get back to work. I have just danced over half the lawn with one of those hollow tine devices. I now have blisters. I am not interested in my own sorry life I need to know that rusty duck has ambushed a recycling yard, stolen the goods, devised a cunning plan and planted something interesting. Where are the death defying gardening abseil thAt make me laugh?
Have a constructive, inventive, horticultural and happy 2017.

That’s the trouble with the West Country. Waterlogged lawns. Anywhere else you could just leave it to the worms.
The ducks will be back before you know it with a tale or two to tell. Wild things they are. A very Happy New Year to you too!

Hi Susan, thanks, and a very Happy New Year to you too.
Will be back soon, a week or two at most. I have to do some updates on the blog before the next post. Which I’m dreading given all the trouble that’s caused in the past!

Happy New Year Linda and thanks. I’m missing the blog and will be back soon. Certainly making the most of the break though, there will be plenty of tales to tell. I do hope all is well with you and your family. Take care.

Hello rusty ducks! For some reason you just popped into my head, so I came to check on you. I see you have been replying to comments recently so assume all is well. I hope so. Missed you and hope to see you when the weather thaws out!

Hi Jessica, I have spent the last few weeks reading your blog from cover to cover (bit like bingeing on a box set ?) and loving every word. Looking forward to the next instalment, and that the dreaded “update” doesn’t cause too much chaos.